principles Quotes

Important principles may, and must, be inflexible.

Slavery is founded in the selfishness of man's nature - opposition to it is his love of justice. These principles are an eternal antagonism; and when brought into collision so fiercely, as slavery extension brings them, shocks and throes and convulsions must ceaselessly follow.

He who would be no slave must consent to have no slave. Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves and, under a just God, cannot long retain it.

Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.

I have said a hundred times, and I have no inclination to take it back, that I believe there is no right, and ought to be no inclination in the people of the free States to enter into the slave States, and to interfere with the question of slavery at all. I have said that always.

I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice.

Virtue cannot separate itself from reality without becoming a principle of evil.

To abandon oneself to principles is really to die - and to die for an impossible love which is the contrary of love.

He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.

Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.